Harmony Upon 1 Samuel, Chapter 28

Harmony Upon 1 Samuel · Chapter 28

p. 307CHAP. XXVIII.

1. Quest. v. 2. Whether Dauid promised his aide vntounto Achish, and whether therein he did well.

1. SOme thinke that Dauid had no purpose at all to fight against Israel, but onelyonly he would hauehave defended the Kings person: who saith, he would make him keeper of his head for euer: but this agreeth not to Dauids owne words, that seemeth to be discontented, because he was sent backe, and might not goe to fight against the enemies of the king, c. 29.8. it seemeth therefore that he bare the king in hand, that he would goe and fight against Israel. Mar. 2. Others thinke, that this warre was iust, which the Philistims at this time tooke in hand against Saul, because that therin the Lord purposed to punish Sauls wickednes, and beside the kingdome belonged vntounto Dauid, and therfore he might seeke his owne. But neither of these maketh this warre iust: for howsoeuer God intented herein to iudge Saul, yet the Philistims did it of a hatefull minde against the people of God: and though Dauid were the anointed king, as it were the apparent heire of the kingdome, yet he had no such commandement to inuade the kingdome, but to waite his time. 3. Some are of opinion, that Dauid would in the battell hauehave turned his force against Achish: but herein Dauid beside his deepe dissimulation, should hauehave shewed great vnthankfulnes vntounto Achish with whom he had found such kind entertainment. 4. Therefore the best solution of this doubt is, that Dauid gaue this wise answer vntounto Achish, neither directly promising his help, as Iosephus saith, he did prompte polliceri operam, readily promise his helpe: neither yet denying the same: but he waited vponupon God for his direction, praying feruently in his heart vntounto God, that some impediment might fall out, that he should not be forced to fight against the Israelites, and specially against his louing and deare friend Ionathan. sic Osiand. Mar. Pellican.

2. Quest. v. 3. Of what minde Saul put away the sorcerers in Israel.

1. Some doe gather that whereas mention is made here p. 308together of Samuels death, and that Saul had put away the sorcerers, that hereby it is signified, that Saul while Samuel liued vsed to consult with him: and that by his aduice he did according to the law of God expell the sorcerers. Pellican. But after that the Lord had reiected Saul, and Dauid was anointed king, Samuel went no more to visit Saul, c. 15.35. neither doth it seeme that Saul much regarded Samuel. And it is not like that Saul did this of any good minde, by Samuels direction: for it seemeth, that at the same time the Gibeonites were slaine, 2. Sam. 21. which thing did displease God. 2. Saul therefore did it of a blind zeale, that he might seeme to make shew of religion: not with any true heart or affection: for then he would not hauehave runne vntounto sorcerers himselfe. Mar. Bor. 3. This then is here inserted both of Samuels death, and Sauls expelling of sorcerers: both to shew, that it was not true Samuel, which afterward appeared vntounto him, Osiand. and to manifest Sauls inconstancie, in returning to his vomit againe, to build againe what he had destroied: and his impietie in forsaking of God, and crauing helpe of the deuill. Iun.

3. Quest. Whether it belonged vntounto Saul, to expell witches and sorcerers.

1. The Romanists opinion is, that Princes are not to meddle with religion, but that it belongeth vntounto the Pope to manage the affaires of the Church, and such things as concerne the soule: leauing vntounto the Prince onelyonly the care and charge of the bodie, and such things as concerne the ciuill and politike state. And here they doe vrge the example of Vzziah, who was stricken with leprosie,Contr. Of the Princes authoritie in Ecclesiastical matters. when he attempted to hauehave sacrificed. But this example is vnfitly alleadged: for Princes are not indeede to meddle with the execution of Ecclesiasticall offices, as themselues to preach, to baptize, to excommunicate: as Vzziah would hauehave taken vponupon him the office of the Priest: but it belongeth vntounto them, to see that as well Ecclesiasticall persons, and others doe their duties: and by good lawes to command the true religion to be receiued of all. The reasons are these.

1. Because Princes are in Gods place here in earth, and eueryevery p. 309soule is commanded to be subiect vntounto them, Rom. 13.1. then is no soule excepted, whether of Bishop, or of whomsoeuer. 2. Their office is to beare the sword, and to see all vngodlines punished, as well the transgressions of the first, as of the second table: as Augustine saith, bene se res haberet si magistratus adulteria punire posset, animorum scortationes non posset: It were well, if the magistrate may punish adulterie, and not meete with the spirituall fornication of the soule. 3. As Princes hauehave the ouersight of other professions, which yet they themselues practise not: as to see that Physitians, and Apothecaries, which attend vponupon the health of the bodie, should deale faithfully in their seuerall vocations, so also, seeing there is great necessitie of prouiding physicke for the soule, much more ought magistrates to take care thereof. 4. This appeareth by the example and practise of all godly Magistrates, Dauid, Salomon, Hezekiah, Iosias, and all the good kings of Iudah, did purge and reforme the Church of God, put downe Idolatrie, and set vp the true worship: so did the good Christian Emperours, Constantinus, Theodosius, Carolus. 5. For vnlesse this power according to the word of God be yeilded vntounto Christian Magistrates, what remedie should there be to redresse the enormities of the Church, when the spirituall gouernours thereof, become dissolute, disordered, and corrupt. sic fere Mar.

4. Quest. v. 6. How Saul asked counsell of the Lord, and why the Lord vouchsafed no answer.

1. Saul is here saide to hauehave asked counsell of the Lord, and yet 1. Chron. 11.14. it is said,Reconcil. he did not aske counsell of Iehouah: because he did not seeke vntounto God in truth, but in hypocrisie: and therefore the Lord seeing his heart, would not vouchsafe him an answer: and he which had before destroyed the innocent Priests, was not worthie to receiue any comfort by them. 2. Here are three waies expressed, whereby the Lord vsed to make knowne his will to his seruants: by dreames, by Vrim, that is, by the Priests, and by Prophets: there were other waies, as God spake sometime by his Angels, they also sometime vsed lots, but the other three were p. 310more vsuall in those times. Mar. 3. There were two sorts of dreames: some good dreames, which were sent vponupon the seruants of God, some were but the illusions of Satan: and these two kind of dreames differed in three things: in the author, God sent good dreames, the other proceeded from Satan: the seruants of God, as Ioseph and Daniel, saw good dreames and visions, the false prophets were deluded by the other: the first sort were to good ende, to set forth the glorie of God, the other were to an euill ende, to seduce and deceiue the people, Deut. 13.2. Now God did not reueale his will vntounto any by dreames, to hauehave Saul aduertised of his will. Borr. 4. But whereas Saul is said to hauehave asked counsell of God, and he answered him not by Vrim: some thinke that after Abiathar was gone with the Ephod,Reconcil. he caused an other to be made; some, that he had sent to Abiathar, to consult for him; some, that he consulted by some of the inferiour Priests which were left: Osiand. but the high Priest onelyonly consulted by the Vrim. But the meaning is this, that the Vrim was not now with Saul, but with Dauid, and therefore Saul could receiue no answer by Vrim, although he had desired it. sic Mar. Iun.

5. Quest. v. 6. What the Vrim and Thummim were whereby the Lord made answer.

1. Some thinke, that Vrim and Thummim, which signifie light and perfection, were no peculiar thing belonging to the priestly ornaments: but onelyonly signified the light of doctrine, and holines of life, which the Priest should be indued with: so expoundeth the Latine and Septuag. which interpret these words, doctrinam & veritatem, doctrine and veritie: but it seemeth by the description, of putting the Vrim and Thummim to the brestplate, Exod. 28.30. that it was some reall thing, that was put thereunto. 2. Some did take them onelyonly for the illuminations and visions which the Priest had: but as is shewed before, it is euident that it was some reall thing. 3. Some take it that these names, Vrim and Thummim, were written in the brestplate: but then they should rather be said to be written, then put to. 4. Other thinke, they were two pretious stones shining beyond the rest, that were put into the pectorall: but the brestplate or pectorall beeing made p. 311foure square, and set with twelue pretious stones in order, could not conueniently receiue them. 5. The opinion of some is, that this Vrim and Thummim, was nothing els but the name Iehovah, which was written, and put in the duplicature or folding of the brestplate, which was made double: but, the name of Iehovah was written in the golden plate of the Priests forehead, Exod. 28.36. therefore it seemeth it was of no great vse to put it secretly within the brestplate. 6. Some further thinke, that the Vrim and Thummim, was not any of the priestly ornaments, which were made by the workeman, but it was giuen vntounto Moses by the Lord, to be put within the brestplate, which may seeme to be the reason, why it was described to be made double, Exod. 28.16. Iun. But the preposition el, signifieth properly, to, not in, that we neede not vnderstand, the Vrim and Thummim, to be put into the brestplate, but onelyonly vntounto it: and it may be thought to be made double as with a lining, for the strengthening of it, because it was beset with the pretious stones. 7. Wherefore leauing other coniectures, I thinke it most probable that this Vrim and Thummim, were nothing els but the pretious stones themselues, which were set into the pectorall: so called of their exceeding brightnes and perfection: Osiand. Mar. which may be thought to hauehave beene more then ordinarie pretious stones, prepared of the Lord for this vse. And this may further appeare thus: because the same title is giuen to the brestplate and to the Vrim and Thummim: the pectorall is called the brestplate of iudgement, Exod. 28.29. and so is the other called the Vrim of iudgement, or iudgement of Vrim, Numb. 27.21. which was so called, because the high Priest consulting with God by Vrim, gaue direction what was to be don, or not done. Againe, to applie the Ephod, is all one as to aske counsell of God by Vrim, as 1. Sam. c. 23.9. and c. 30.7. Dauid biddeth Abiathar applie or bring the Ephod.

6. Quest. How the Lord vsed to answer by Vrim.

There are 3. opinions. 1. Some thinke, that by inward illumination of the mind, the Lord reuealed his wil to the Priest: ex Vat. but I take it, that this was the difference betweene the p. 312Priests and the Prophets, that these by some secret instinct and inspiration had the will of God reuealed, the other by some outward and sensible meanes. 2. Iosephus thinketh, that when the answer was affirmatiue, the pretious stones did shine extraordinarily: but he addeth further, that these stones had ceased to shine in that māner 200. years before his time, because of the sins of the people: but it may be doubted, whether, as they were with… the Ark after the returne frō Babylon, though that seemeth to be a fabulous report of Ieremies hiding it, 2. Macch. 2. so they also wanted the priestly Ephod. And againe, this shining of the stones serued onelyonly for affirmatiue and good answers: it still remaineth vncerten how they receiued negatiue and heauie answers. 3. Therefore I rather thinke, that the Lord answered the Priest by some voice and oracle: as the Lord vsed to answer Moses by voice, from the MercieMercy seate, Numb. 7.89. as it also appeareth, c. 23.7. how the Lord answered Dauids demaunds by voice: The Lord said, &c.

7. Quest. What manner of woman Saul would hauehave sought out for him, and why?

1. The word here vsed is bahalath obh, the dame of a familiar: as such spirits vse to call the witches, dames: the word signifieth a bottle, because such vsed to speake out of their bellies, as out of a bottle▪ with an hallow voice: in Latin they are called Pythones, Pythonists: so called of Apollo Pythius, because the oracles of Apollo, who was called Pythius, were deliuered by them. Apollos Pythonisse was by her obscene parts filled with winde, and gaue answer vntounto their demands. Apollo was so called of the serpent Pitho which he killed. ex Martyr. This obh was a spirit as it seemeth, whome they imagined to hauehave power to raise vp the dead: as a woman of Thessalie raised vp a souldier lately dead, which declared vntounto Pompey the euill successe of the Pharsalian battell. Lucan. l. 6. Iulian the Apostata, beeing fallen from the Christian faith, did betake himselfe vntounto sorcerers and Conjurers, as Saul doth here.

p. 3138. Quest. v. 8. Whether Saul in deede thought, that Samuel might be raised vp.

1. Some thinke, that Saul was not so blinde or ignorant, as to imagine, that Samuel could himselfe be raised vp: but that by Gods permission, there might be apparitions of spirits in their likenes: Pellican. but this was a greater blindnes in Saul, to goe directly and aske counsell of the deuill: and further by Sauls reuerent behauiour, he imagined, that it was more then a bare apparition, which was represented vntounto him. 2. I rather therefore thinke, that it was Sauls foolish imagination, that Samuel might be called vp vntounto him: for the spirit of God beeing departed from him, as his bodie was distempered, so also was his minde and iudgement. Mart. Osiand. And Augustine saith well, neque reprobus factus potuit bonum intellectum habere, beeing reiected he could hauehave no good vnderstanding. 3. Now how this woman remained yet in Endor, the rest of the Soothsayers beeing destroied, the cause was not, as some of the Rabbins imagined, that shee was Abners mother, and so spared: for then Saul neede not hauehave inquired after her, shee had beene knowne well enough: but Saul might thinke, as there is oftentimes negligence, and remissenes in the officers and ministers of the kingdome, that some among the rest, might escape and find fauour. Mart.

9. Quest. v. 12. Of the apparition of Samuel, and the manner thereof.

1. It seemeth by that Saul asked the woman what shee saw, that Saul saw him not at the first: the Rabbins thinke, that Saul heard onelyonly the voice, and that the woman both saw, and heard, but Sauls seruants neither heard nor saw: some thinke, that the woman onelyonly saw, and Saul onelyonly heard, Vatab. but, though Saul saw not the apparition at the first, the woman beeing apart in an other place, as witches vse not to be seene, when they worke their feates: yet it is like, that afterward Saul was admitted to his sight, both by the reuerence which he yeildeth, in bowing himselfe, & by the communication between the phantastical Samuel and Saul: it may be gathered also by the text, that the woman heard not the p. 314communication: for v. 21. it is saide shee entred or came in to Saul: it seemeth that shee was gone forth, hauing raised the spirit, and left Saul alone within in the bed chamber, as is expressed v. 23. but the seruants were left without, and neither heard nor saw: as the like is shewed, Act. 10. how Saul onelyonly heard the voice, they that were with him heard nothing. Mar. 2. Now where the woman saith, that shee saw gods ascending: some vnderstand it, that shee meaneth an excellent person, that was ascending: but it is like that these elohim, gods, were certaine goodly apparitions (as Satan can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light) which Satan sent, as his apparitors and messengers before. Iun. 3. Thus Samuel appeareth, wrapped about with a mantle, which was the habite of Magistrates and Prophets, to distinguish them from the common sort: Iosephus thinketh it was a priestly garment: but Samuel was no Priest, though he were of the tribe of Leui. Mar. 4. The witch knew him to be Saul, rather hauing so learned of the deuill, who told her, Mar. then, as the Rabbins suppose, shee coniectured it by some reuerence that this counterfeit Samuel yeildeth vntounto Saul.

10. Quest. v. 17. Whome he meaneth when he saith, The Lord hath done to him.

1. Some read, the Lord will doe to thee: Lat. but that is not agreeable to the originall, which hath li, to him. 2. Some read, the Lord hath done to himselfe, that is, hath disposed of his counsell, as he purposed and determined. Iun. 3. Some referre it vntounto Saul, that the Lord hath done to him: Borr. but thoroughout he speaketh vntounto Saul in the second person. 4. Therefore it is better referred vntounto Dauid, that the Lord hath done to him, as he promised: so the Chald. B. Genevens. Ioseph. and so the next words doe helpe to expound these: he hath rent the kingdome from thee, and giuen it vntounto Dauid: the kingdome is said to be rent, because the whole was not taken at once from Sauls posteritie, a part was a while held by Ishbosheth: Mar. but this seemeth to be somewhat curious: for the Lord had giuen the whole kingdome to Dauid, and so rent, that is, taken the whole from Saul.

p. 31511. Quest. Of the meaning of these words: To morrow thou, and thy sonnes shall be with me.

1. Some take it, as though the deuill, counterfeiting Samuels person, should say, that Saul should be with him, that is, in the state of grace, and the fauour of God, but that Satan herein lied vntounto him. Osiand. But as the rest of this heauie declaration fell out to be true, that Saul should be deliuered into the hands of the Philistims, so it is like, that the rest also should be true, and the euent indeede was answerable: both Saul and his sonnes were slaine the next day. 2. D. Kimhi with other Rabbins thinke, that this is to be vnderstood of the happie estate, wherein Saul should be: and that herein nothing was vttered but truth: for they hold, that Saul dying for his countrey, and not giuing ouer the defense of Israel, though he looked for present death, died in the fauour of God: Iosephus also commendeth Saul as a worthie man, that died for his countrey. But, this resolution in Saul to die for his countrey, was onelyonly a ciuill vertue: it was farre from pietie: like vntounto the fortitude of the heathen, as of the Decij, Curtij, among the Romanes, that died for their countrey: and it was Gods iustice rather that forced him to this battell, then his owne will and resolution to defend his countrey. Borr. Beside, seeing Saul killing himselfe, died without repentance, ending his daies in despaire, how could he die in the fauour and grace of God, Mar. But we will not precipitate our sentence concerning his euerlasting reprobation, though he were reiected from the kingdome, leauing him to the iudgement of the Lord. Borr.

12. Quest. Whether it were Samuel in deede that appeared vntounto Saul.

1. This could not be Samuel in his owne person, both bodie and soule: for to raise againe the dead, is the worke onelyonly of God: diuers hauehave beene raised from the dead: we read of three raised in the old Testament: the widowes sonne by Elias, and two by Elizeus, one when he was aliue, the other by touching his bodie, when he was dead: fiue were raised in the Gospel, three by our Sauiour, the rulers daughter, the widowes sonne, and Lazarus: and two by the Apostles, Dorcas p. 316by Peter, and Eutyches by Paul. But these miracles were wrought for the confirmation of the truth: this miracle if Samuel had beene raised, had beene for the countenancing of sorcerie and lies: the deuill could not raise Samuel himselfe: and God for the reason aforesaid, would not permit Satan to doe it.

2. Some therefore thinke, that it was the bodie of Samuel, as Burgens. saith. But the bodie beeing dead, hath no actiuitie, and is vnapt to be vsed as an instrument of action: neither doth it suffice to say, that Sathan might giuegive action and motion to the bodie: for Satan can make illusions, and counterfeit any shape of himselfe, so that he needed not to hauehave assumed a bodie.

3. Some doe thinke it was the very soule of Samuel, as Iustinus Martyr, but vntounto him I oppose Tertullian, who thinketh, lib. de anima. that the Deuill deluded both the woman, and Saul, abusing his eies, and her eares. Augustine, though sometime he seemeth to doubt, whether it were Samuel, or onelyonly phantasma, a phantastical image or apparition of Samuel: ad Simplic. lib. 2. yet, lib. 2. de doctr. Christian. he defendeth and prooueth, that it was imago sacrilegio excitata, an image raised by sacriledge. That it was the soule of Samuel, these two reasons are produced to prooue: 1. because thoroughout this storie, he is called Samuel: 2. because that which is here foretold, fell out accordingly. Ans. 1. The Scripture calleth things as they appeare, and as they are taken: as Pharaoh is said in his dreame to hauehave seene seauen kine, and seauen eares of corne, Gen. 41. because they so appeared: so in this place this apparition is called Samuel, because it seemed so to be, and Saul tooke it to be Samuel. 2. God suffereth the Deuill sometime to speake the truth, and may reueale some things vntounto him, as he did to Balaam, for such ende, as the Lord seeth best, for the setting forth of his glorie. Borr.

4. Wherefore the sounder opinion is, that this was not Samuels soule, but a counterfeit representation of him: as may appeare by these reasons. 1. Satan hath no power ouer the spirits of the righteous, neither can their spirits be fetched by enchantments: for then he would abuse the soules of the dead at his pleasure, to deceiue the liuing. Whereas it will be p. 317answered, that Samuel preuented the witches enchantment, and came before at Gods appointment: this is contrarie to the whole narration: for this Samuel appeared not, till Saul came to the witches house, and Saul had set the witch a worke. 2. It is saide before, that God answered not Saul by Prophets: therefore he by whome Saul now receiueth answer was no Prophet. 3. If God had sent vp Samuel, the dead, to instruct the liuing, why is this reason giuen of the deniall of the rich mans request, to hauehave one sent from the dead: because if they would not heare Moses and the Prophets, neither would they beleeue, if one were raised from the dead, Luk. 16. in so doing the Lord should seeme to goe against his owne order. 4. True Samuel would not hauehave suffered himselfe to be adored: sic Mart. Borr. Osiand. Pellican. Vatab. and this is the sentence of Augustine in this place: Indignum esse facinus, si secundum verba historiae commodetur assensus, it is an vnworthie act, if one presse the meaning of the storie according to the words: and this is cited in the decrees, Caus. 26. qu. 5. c. 14. Wherefore this place is friuolously alleadged by the Romanists,Contr. Against Limbus patrum. to prooue Limbus patrum, or Purgatorie: that the soules of the Fathers before Christ were in a dungeon of darkenes in the earth, expecting the comming of Christ: or that the soules of the faithfull now goe to a certaine place of Purgatorie vnderunder the earth: for this counterfeit Samuel, that seemed to ascend out of the earth, which was not the soule of Samuel, but the deuill in his likenes, prooueth no such thing. This question is handled more at large in Hexapla vponupon the 7. chap. of Exodus, whether I referre the Reader.

13. Quest. Of the nature of spirits.

Now vponupon this occasion, that mention is here made of the witches obh, or familiar spirit, certain necessarie questions doe here offer themselues briefly to be touched: first, of the nature of spirits, secondly of their knowledge, thirdly of their power, fourthly whether it be lawfull at any time for Christians to vse the ministerie and helpe of such spirits.

First, concerning the nature of spirits, called deuills, there are diuers opinions. 1. This opinion is ascribed to the Peripatetikes, p. 318that there are no deuills, or spirits, and that these straunge things, which seeme to be miraculous in the world, are done by the secret and straunge operation of nature, as the loadstone draweth the yron, as also by the phantasie of man, which is very strong: and by the temperature, and constitution of the bodie: as it is written of Vespasian, that he healed a blind man with his spittle, and cured a lame man by touching his foote.

Contra. 1. It will be confessed, that many things vnwoonted are caused by such meanes: but there are miraculous and extraordinarie workes, which are aboue the course or strēgth of nature: as for images to speake, to goe invisible, for vnlearned men to speake Hebrew, Greeke, Latine, and languages which they neuer learned, to stirre things which are a great way off, & such like: of these no naturall reason can be giuen. 2. Sorcerers and Magicians doe vse words, and spells, and charmes, wherein there is no force or power to worke naturally. 3. This opinion the Sadduces held, that there were no Angels or spirits: and it is contrarie to the Scriptures, which witnesseth both of the good spirits and elect Angels, and of the reprobate and euill spirits, which we call deuills. As a lying spirit was in the mouths of Baals false prophets, 1. king. 22. Satan stirred vp Dauid to number the people, 1. Chron. 21.1. Satan afflicted Iob, and tempted our Sauiour Christ.

2. The opinion of some was, that mens soules are turned into spirits, the soules of good men into good spirits, and of euill men into euill spirits.

Contr. But seeing the soules of men and spirits are of a diuers kind and nature, it is no more possible for them to be changed one into an other, then for any other kind of liuing creature to be chaunged and altered into an other kind: and if this should be so, then the soules of men should neuer be reunited to their bodies: which were an impious thing once to thinke or conceiue.

3. The Platonists doe imagine, that there are some fierie, some aerie, some watrie spirits, some of a terrene nature: and doe ascribe certaine materiall bodies vntounto the spirits. Contra. 1. If spirits had bodies, they must be either of a celestiall, or of an elementarie constitution: if any of these, then they should hauehave either a circular motion as the heauens hauehave, or an elementarie p. 319motion, to ascend, or descend, as the elements doe: but none of these are naturally incident to the spirits. 2. But we neede no further reason to conuince this error, seeing the Scriptures giuegive testimonie hereunto that the Deuills are spirits, without flesh and bone, as our Sauiour saith, Luk. 24.39. and in the Gospel, the Deuill is called an vncleane spirit, Math. 12.43. & how could a legion, that is, diuers thousands of deuills be thrust together into one bad man, Mark. 5.9. if they had materiall bodies, and corporall substances. Thus it appeareth, that there are euill spirits, which wander vp and downe in the world: and that they are immateriall, and altogether of a spirituall nature. 3. Lastly, of spirits there are fowre kinds: 1. God is an infinite spirit: 2. the Angels good and bad are spirits: 3. there are the soules and spirits of men: 4. there are also the spirits of bruit beasts. These kinds may be thus distinguished: spirits are either of an infinite and incomprehensible nature, as God onelyonly: or of a finite: which are either immortall spirits, and the same either made to cohabite with bodies, as the soules and spirits of men: or are spirits seperate from bodies, either good, which are the elect Angels, or euill, which are the deuills: or they are mortall, as the spirits of bruit beasts.

14. Quest. Of the knowledge of Deuills.

1. That spirits hauehave a very acute and subtile knowledge, and great insight in things to come, it is euident, seeing that wise and prudent men skilfull in naturall obseruations, can foretell of many things, as of Eclipses, of raine, and such like: yea, the vnreasonable creatures both birds and beasts, by a naturall instinct, hauehave a sense of the externall accidents in the aire, before they come: much more hauehave the spirits more certaine coniectures of many things to come: which knowledge of theirs, is diuersly helped: 1. by their subtile and spirituall nature: 2. their long experience, and continuance: 3. their agilitie of nature, which can in a moment passe from place to place: as August. lib. de Genes. ad liter. reporteth of a man that was strangely taken, who refusing to take any sustenance, but at a certaine priests hand, who dwelt fiue miles of, could tell beeing absent, when he came forth of his doores, p. 320where he was, how neere the house: this was done by the agilitie of spirits: like as if a watchman should a farre off discouer a band of souldiers comming, and giuegive notice thereof. 4. The deuill may foretell such things, which the Lord by his ministerie entendeth to doe: as he punished the Egyptians by his euill angels: and Satan was here the minister of this iudgement decreed against Saul. 5. The spirits beeing placed in the aire (as the deuill is called the prince that ruleth in the aire, Eph. 2.2.) from thence, as from a watch tower, can more easily see and discerne, the causes of such euents, which happen in the earth. 6. By the writings of the Prophets he vnderstandeth many things: as Augustine thinketh, that Trismegistus foretelling vntounto Asclepius the ruine and ouerthrow of Idols, might take that light from the predictions of the Prophets. 7. Satan doth foresee many things by the effects: as when he seeth a man full of good workes, and giuen to deuotion and praier, he can thinke none other, but that such an one is in Gods fauour: Martyr. likewise by the contrarie, when he seeth one giuen ouer to all wickednes, he knoweth that Gods iudgements hang ouer his head, as here they did ouer Saul. And therefore it neede not seeme straunge, that the deuill did foretell of his ende. Augustine here saith, quasi magnum sit diabolo ante occasum mortem corporis praevidere, cum signa quaedam soleant apparere morituris, cited by Grat. c. 26. qu. 5. c. 14.quibus Dei protectio amota videatur: As though it were a great matter, for the deuill to foresee ones death before it fall, seeing that they which so die, doe themselues perceiue some signes, that the protection of God is remooued: As Saul gathered by euident arguments, that the Lord had forsaken him: how then could it be hid from Satan?

15. Quest. What things the Deuill is ignorant of.

There are fowre kind of things, which Satan hath no knowledge of. 1. He knoweth not things to come, but by coniectures, and the same vncertaine: God onelyonly seeth things to come, as present: for seeing God doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him in heauen & in earth, he can not be ignorant of any of his works: spirits know things to come onelyonly by signes & coniectures. And Satan is deceiued often in his predictions: 1. either p. 321because the signes, which he coniectureth by, are vncerten by themselues, as are the signes and prognostications of weather, and such like: 2. or for that God interposeth himselfe,How the deuill knoweth things to come. and worketh beyond the naturall and ordinarie course, as when the fire in the fornace had no power to burne the three children: 3. sometime the condition is secret of such things, as are prophesied to come to passe: as when Ionas preached, that within fourtie daies Niniueh should be destroied, vnlesse they repented: 4. the Lord many times either blindeth Satan, that he can not vse the subtiltie of his owne nature, or bindeth his power, that he can not doe what he would. Then it appeareth, that there is great difference betweene the certentie of Angelical, and diabolical predictions: 1. good Angels are more acquainted with Gods will, then Satan is: 2. they are holy spirits, not lead with ambition, enuie, malice, as Satan is, and therefore their knowledge is not obscured or ouercast, with such turbulent affections, as Satans is: 3. they referre all to Gods will, and therefore are not letted, or hindred by the Lord, as Satan is, who aimeth alwaies at a wicked ende.

2. Secondly, Satan is ignorant of the mysteries and secrets of Gods counsell: as he was doubtfull concerning Christ, whether he were very God in the flesh: and therfore he speaketh vntounto Christ in an ambiguous tearme, when he tempted him: If thou be the sonne of God: he saw many euident arguments of the diuine power of Christ, and confessed him to be the sonne of God: but he was not certen thereof, for then he would not hauehave stirred vp Iudas to betray Christ,Satan did not know certenly, that Christ was God in the flesh. and the Scribes and Pharisies to hauehave put him to death, if he had knowne that by his death, Christ should hauehave ouercome him, that had power of death, that is the deuill, Hebr. 2.14. for as the Apostle saith, had they knowne, they neuer would hauehave crucified the Lord of glorie, 1. Cor. 2.8. which may as well be vnderstood of Satan himselfe, as of those which were his ministers and instruments. The good Angels themselues did not fully comprehēd the mysterie of the incarnation of the Sonne of God, and of our redemption by him, vntill they sawe the same accomplished: as S. Paul saith, To the intent, that vntounto principalities and powers in heauenly places might be made knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God, Eph. 3. p. 32210. much more therefore was this mysterie kept hid and secret from Satan.

3. Satan knoweth not what is in the heart of man, but onelyonly by coniectures and signes: directly he neither knoweth the will, nor the vnderstanding or iudgement of man: two waies he soundeth mans heart: either by the precedent causes, the obiects offered outwardly, as when Dauid espied Bersabe, or by the inward imagination or phantasie: yet he is not certaine whether the will shall apprehende such obiects or not: or els he gesseth by the outward signes and impressions of the affections in the bodie: as louelove, anger, rage, care, and such like, doe discouer themselues in the countenance, and other parts of the bodie: but where such impressions are not, as wise men can bridle and conceale their affections, there Satan faileth in his coniecture. Further, the Scripture speaketh euidently, that God onelyonly is the knower of the heart: Thou onelyonly knowest the hearts of all the children of men, 1. king. 8.39. And the Apostle saith, Who knoweth the things of a man, sauing the spirit of man which is in him, 1. Cor. 2.11. Mans heart is knowne to none, but vntounto God, and himselfe: but more vntounto God, then vntounto man himselfe: for both God seeth aforehand, what thoughts are like to rise in mans heart, which man knoweth not himselfe, as Psalm. 139.2. Thou vnderstandest my thoughts a farre off▪ and God is greater then a mans heart, that a man can not thinke what he would in good things, but as the Lord inspireth him. Further, if Satan did know mans heart, then would he be more busie in his temptations, and mote dangerous. This also is the preheminence which the spirit of God hath beyond the euill spirit: He that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit. Rom. 8.27.

4. The fourth thing, which Satan is ignorant of, is of the graces of regeneration, the consolation of the spirit, the operation of a true and liuely faith: the Deuill hath a kinde of superficiall beleefe, as Saint Iames saith, That the Deuills beleeue and tremble, Iam. 2. he hath an historicall faith to beleeue the Scriptures to be true, and that the incarnation, passion, resurrection of Christ, were so done and fulfilled, as they are in Scripture declared: but none of these he beleeueth to p. 323his comfort: neither can he comprehend them, as the faithfull doe: so that herein eueryevery faithfull man hath more knowledge by the sense and experience of faith, then Satan hath.

16. Quest. Of the power of spirits, what they are able to doe by their spirituall nature, and what not.

1. Here the power of spirits is to be distinguished: for there is in them a threefold power to be considered; a naturall power, which they hauehave by their creation, as they are spirits; a limited power, restrained by God; and their power augmented and enlarged from God, for some speciall seruice, wherein it pleaseth the Lord to vse their ministerie. The Deuill, by whome the sorcerers of Egypt wrought, could by his naturall power, produce the similitude and likenesse of serpents: but that power was restrained, when they assaied likewise to counterfeit lice: his power was augmented, when he was suffered to execute his malice vponupon Iob: for Augustines distinction is here to be held, that the Deuill otherwise afflicteth the godly, and otherwise punisheth the wicked: In filijs diffidentiae, tanquam in proprijs mancipijs operatur: he worketh in the children of disobedience, as in his owne vessells: but he hath no power vponupon the righteous, vnlesse it be giuen him: sicut homo de pecore suo facit, quod vult, de alieno pecore vt faciat, expectat sibi dari potestatem, ab eo cuius est: ibi potestas, quae fuerat, prohibetur, hic, quae non fuerat, tribuitur: as a man may doe with his owne beast what he will, but with an other mans he can doe nothing without leaue of the owner: there the power which was is restrained, here the power, which was not is attributed. Aug. in Psal. 77. Here now the question is onelyonly of the naturall power of Satan, as he is a spirit.

2. Now concerning this power, some doe extenuate it too much, thinking that neither the spirits, nor those which worke by spirits can doe any thing: but that men are onelyonly by them deluded and deceiued: for Nero, and Iulian, which were Emperours, and sought to suppresse the Christian faith, did confederate themselues with sorcerers and p. 324Magicians, and yet they could effect nothing by them: yet it had beene much for the aduantage of Satans kingdome, to hauehave aided such speciall instruments, what he could.

Contra. 1. That the spirits are able to worke straunge things it appeareth diuersly, both by the diuine lawes, made against them, that they should not suffer a witch to liue, Exod. 22. Leuit. 20. Deut. 18. and by the humane lawes of the Imperiall and other states: which lawes should not hauehave been made, if such were thought to be able to doe nothing: further, in the storie of Iob it is euident, that the deuill brought downe fire from heauen, and raised the winds: in the Gospel, the spirits that possessed the bodies of men, did torment thē, and cast them sometime into the water, sometime into the fire. Beside, in the Ethnike stories it is recorded, that Tuccia a vestal virgine did carrie water in a siue, and Claudia drew a shippe that stucke in the sand, that could not be remooued by any humane force: Plinie writeth how the oliue groue of Vectius Marcellus was remooued: to denie that these things were done, it would be thought too great boldnes. Mart.

2. But touching the examples of Nero and Iulian, who effected little by art Magicke, the cause was not in their want of power, but for that God restrained their power, that Satan did not what he would. Martyr.

3. Some doe ascribe too much vntounto the power of spirits: as that they can excitare tempestates, raise tempests: as we read, how the deuill brought downe lightening, and raised the winds, Iob 1. and in Norway, there are certaine called Lapones, that hauehave three knots in their beards, who if they loose one of them, then there followeth a great tempest in the Sea, if the second, then the tempest is encreased, if the third, then the storme rageth, and riseth as though heauen & earth would goe together: this is the opinion of Peter Martyr, therein consenting with Augustine: the reason of his opinion is, because, as he thinketh, the deuill can bring and put together the causes, & beginnings, and seede as it were of things: and so his opinion is, that those serpents which the Egyptian sorcerers made to appeare, were true serpents, which the deuill brought forth, beeing not ignorant of what seede and beginnings serpents were made. Contra. 1. The Scripture ascribeth the power of raine, lightening, and winds, onelyonly vntounto p. 325God, Ierem. 10.13. He causeth the cloudes to ascend from the endes of the earth: he turneth lightening to raine, and bringeth forth the winde out of his treasures: by these workes of power, the Prophet concludeth, that the Lord was God, and that the gods of the heathen (which were the Deuills, whome they worshipped in their idols) could doe no such thing. 2. Augustine is of that opinion, that Satan brought downe fire from heauen, Iob 1. but both the text it selfe is against him, which calleth it the fire of God: it was done then by the power of God: and against Augustines priuate opinion, I can oppose the determination of an whole Synod:Br…arens. 1. c. 8. Si quis credit diabolum sua potestate posse excitare tempestates, fulgurae, &c. anathema sit: Let him be accursed, that thinketh the Deuill can raise tempests, lightening, &c. of his owne power. 3. If the Deuill can make serpents, or bring forth any true liuing creature, because he can put together the seedes, and beginnings of things, then why may he not as well helpe the generation of man, and procreate children by humane seede, which were absurd to imagine: as for those serpents, that they were no true serpents, but in appearance onelyonly, I hauehave shewed elsewhere, in the questions vponupon the 7. chap. of Exodus. 4. But thus much further I conceiue of the power of spirits in the disposing of the weather: that although they cannot raise vapours or exhalations, whereof the winds, and raine, and other meteors are engendred, at their pleasure; yet when this preparation is made by nature, and such things are alreadie in beeing, that Satan can transport the raines, winds, lighetning, from one corner to an other: and this is all he can doe for that matter, as I hauehave shewed in the place before cited.

4. Now then, keeping the meane way betweene both, though Satan be neither so impotent and void of power, as some thinke, nor yet so potent, as some others imagine, yet many straunge things he is able to doe. 1. The Deuill can mooue or transport from place to place, and that very speedily, and with great agilitie: for if the spirit of man, hath that power to mooue and stirre the bodie, the like power can not be denied vntounto spirits of a more powerfull nature: the Scripture also giueth euidence for this, that Sathan transported the bodie of Christ: it pleased our Sauiour to giuegive the tempter that aduantage, and to yeild him so farre to be caried of him, p. 326that he might confound him in his owne deuise, and slay him with his owne weapon, as Dauid killed Goliath: so we heard before how Claudia by a diabolicall power remooued a ship: so Satan vseth to transport Magicians and sorcerers, and to cause them to ride in the aire: as Simon Magus, as Ecclesiasticall stories make mention, could glide in the aire.

2. Satan can vse creatures as his instruments, whether they be liuing, or voide of life, as he spake out of the serpent vntounto Eue:The deuill can not assume dead mens bodies. and he caused the image of fortune among the Romanes to speake, or he rather spake out of that image. But it is a question, whether he can vse the bodies of dead men, as his instruments, and take and assume them out of their graues: which is rather to be thought that he can not doe: both because the carkesses of dead men falling to corruption, are more vnfit for any such motion, then dead instruments that neuer had life: and for that this is set forth as a peculiar worke of Gods power, in raising the bodies of certaine dead out of their graues, to be a testimonie of the resurrection of Christ. Matth. 27.53.

3. The Deuill notwithstanding may assume vntounto himselfe the likenes of any bodie, either of the liuing or the dead: which yet is no true bodie, but onelyonly in outward shape and appearance: for like as in the cloudes, there are often naturall impressions shewing the similitude of diuers shapes, as of men fighting in the aire, and such like, so we conceiue that Satan by disposing and gathering the aire together, can make a representation of colours and of shapes: as is euident he did, in the apparition of Samuel. But whereas Peter Martyr equally attributeth this power to spirits both good and bad, to assume true bodies, which may be handled and felt, therein I can not subscribe vntounto him: that the good Angels hauehave appeared in true sensible bodies, it is euident both by their eating, as the three Angels that came to Abraham, and by the washing of their feete, Gen. 19.2. But these bodies they assumed not by their owne Angelical power, but the Lord the creator so disposing, that they might take such bodies, during such seruice and ministerie, and afterward lay them downe againe.Euill spirits neuer appeare with true bodies. But we neuer found in Scripture, that euill spirits appeared with true reall bodies, but onelyonly in p. 327outward shew: and therefore the Apostles, when they saw our Sauiour Christ walking vponupon the waters, suspected that it was phantasma, a phantasme, Mark. 6.50. that is, a spirit appearing with a phantasticall bodie: our Sauiour also confirmeth as much himselfe, saying to his disciples, who supposed him to be a spirit: Handle me and see me, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me hauehave, Luk. 24.37. he meaneth an euill spirit, such as they were afraide of: this had beene no good argument to satisfie the Apostles, if euill and wicked spirits could assume true bodies, that might be felt and handled.

4. The Deuill can diuersly delude and deceiue the senses, either the outward with imagined shewes, or the inward, with phantasticall imaginations: those by day by visions, the other by night in dreames, casting them asleepe, whome he seeketh to seduce and deceiue.How the deuill can delude the sense. He can deceiue the sense with false and vaine illusions diuers waies: sometime by agilitie and quicknes of motion, as by this tricke iuglers seeme to doe strange feates: sometime he vseth naturall helpes, as there be certaine mettalls and perfumes, which beeing burned, will make all the chamber seeme as though it were full of serpents: as he can cast a myst in the aire, and make a thing inuisible, by thickening and darkening of the medium, as it is called, as Plato writeth of Gyges, and Virgil of Aeneas, that they went inuisible: and sometime he can vitiate and corrupt the organe of sight the eye, by tempering the humours in such sort, as things shall appeare like as the humour is: as when all appeareth outwardly like blood, when some bloodie humour is mixed with the sight: like as they which are sicke of choler, the tongue beeing infected with that bitter humour, imagine whatsoeuer it tasteth, likewise to be bitter. By these and other such sleights Satan can play the counterfeit, and so deceiue and beguile the sense. Such kinde of cousenage was that, whereof Philostratus writeth in the life of Apollonius Tyaneus, that a certaine young man was enamoured with a faire rich woman, the mariage feast was prepared, which seemed to be set forth with vessells of gold and siluer: but Apollonius desired her to be one of the spirits, called Lamiae, and presently all that shewe p. 328of siluer and gold was turned to coales. The like hereunto was that, which is mentioned in the Arausicane councell, of certaine women that imagined they road vponupon beasts in the night, with Diana the Pagane goddesse, or Herodias, beeing accompanied with great troupes: of which vaine apparitions, the Councell giueth this sentence, Satanas, qui se transfigurat in angelum lucis, transformat se in diversarum personarum species, & mentem quam captivam tenet, in somnis deludit. Satan, which can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light, doth transforme himselfe into the likenes of diuers persons, and deceiueth the minde, which he holdeth captiue with dreames. The same opinion is to be held of the spirits called Incubi, and succubi, some shewing themselues like women, some like men: for the deuill deceiueth his clients in their dreames, with such sights, as though they were set at bankets, and had reall fruition of carnall pleasure. Thus it is not impossible for the deuill to transport men into woods, and solitarie places, and to shew them strange sights, as of some frying in the flames of Purgatorie, and such like, to nusle people in ignorance and superstition.

17. Quest. That all confederacie with spirits, is vnlawfull, and abominable.

1. Here a distinction is necessarie: the ministerie of spirits is vsed, either by authoritie and commandement from God, as our Sauiour, and his Apostles by the spirit of God did cast out deuills: or els by compact and agreement made with them, which is altogether vnlawfull, for that were to fall from God vntounto the deuill. 2. And whereas the spirits seeme to be delighted with hearbs, and to be called by certaine rites and ceremonies, that is done but to collude with, and to deceiue men: there is no power in such hearbs, ceremonies, and charmes, but all dependeth vponupon the couenant and confederacie, which they hauehave made with their clients. Like as the Lord hath appointed certaine holy rites and Sacraments, as signes of the couenant betweene him and his people: which outward signes hauehave no actiuitie or working power of themselues, but from the couenant, wherof they are signes: So Satan, who would herein imitate God, seemeth to be affected with those superstitious signes, but it is the deuillish p. 329couenant, that bindeth him vntounto his ministers, and yet no longer then he will himselfe.

3. Now concerning Exorcists,Of Exorcists. which tooke vponupon them to adjure and cast out deuills, this gift and function was of three sorts: 1. one was lawfull and instituted of Christ, hauing both the name and the thing, which was in vse in the Apostles time, and continued some time after in the primitiue Church, so long as the gift of miracles was in vse, and thought by the Lord to be needfull for the planting of his Church. 2. An other kind of Exorcists hath the name, but not the thing, such as yet are called in Poperie: which is a vaine title, that miraculous gift of adjuring and expelling spirits beeing ceased. 3. There was a third sort of Exorcists, which was among the Iewes before the comming of Christ, and in his time, whereof our Sauiour speaketh, Matth. 12.27. If I through Beelzebub cast out deuills, by whome doe your children cast them out? it seemeth that they vsed in the name of God to cast out deuils, as the sonnes of Sceva a Iew assaied to doe, Act. 19. which miraculous worke it pleased God, should take place among his people, to helpe their weaknes and infirmitie vntill the comming of the Messiah: as we read of a greater miracle which continued till Christs time, of the descending of an Angel at certaine times into the poole of Bethesda, Ioh. 5. And this sort of Exorcists, remained still among the Iewes, as Iosephus maketh mention of one Eleazar, who in the presence of Vespasian and his sonnes, cast a deuill out of a man, and this he testifieth, that he himselfe saw: lib. 8. antiquit. yet this their exorcising was not lawfull, they abused thereunto the name of God: though the Lord thought good for the manifesting of his power among the Gentiles, that in his name such things should be done.

4. But now to vse any enchantment to preuent witcherie, as many things are commonly receiued and prescribed,It is not lawfull to vse charmes. whereof there is no reason to be giuen, to helpe both men and cattell so bewitched, it is altogether held to be vnlawfull: many doe vse spells, and charmes, & other obseruations, to cure diseases, and to finde out witchcraft: which Iosephus thinketh in the place before cited, to hauehave been found out by Salomon for the benefit of men: to the which it may be answered, that if such things were found out by Salomon, which p. 330vncertaine, either it was after his fall, when his wisdome was corrupted and prophaned, or the Lord suffered such things to be for the hardnes of the peoples hearts, and to succour their weaknes. But now we hauehave a rule, This kind goeth not out, but by fasting and praier, Matth. 19.21. Spirituall enemies can not be expelled, but by spirituall enemies. sic fere Martyr.